It seemed like a low-risk, high-reward play when the Washington Commanders acquired Deebo Samuel this offseason for just a 2025 fifth-round pick. The price was great for a player previously regarded as one of the NFL’s most lethal weapons.
The Commanders are hopeful that Samuel can regain the form that made him a terror for opponents a few seasons ago, now that he is coupled with wide receiver Terry McLaurin and quarterback Jayden Daniels.
However, the topic of Samuel’s weight swiftly shifted before he could put on his new uniform.
Why Are Fans Questioning Deebo Samuel’s Weight and Conditioning?
All offseason, rumors swirled that Samuel showed up overweight during the 2024 season, with some claiming he was playing above 225 pounds, well over his listed weight of 215. Even Samuel admitted that he played at 225 last year.
That only fueled more talk about whether he’d lost a step and could still be that explosive, bruising threat he was back in 2021.
According to his longtime Trainer, Nick Hill, that narrative is just noise and way off base.
“They always catch a photo of him at the beach, a month after he’s been off a season where he’s relaxing, and everyone makes a big deal about it,” Hill told reporters. “He’s never gone to camp overweight, never been overweight in season. He’s never had any issues with any of that when it’s time to work.”
Hill says most fans and media don’t see the work Samuel puts in during the offseason, out of the spotlight and away from social media.
“The media hasn’t seen a lot of him in those months training ’cause he’s training with me usually,” Hill added. “They’re like, ‘Oh, he looks a little bit bigger.’ But you see him in person, he’s a big guy. He’s never going to be 180 pounds. Even at 8% body fat, he’s still 220 pounds.”
How Will Samuel Fit into Washington’s Offensive Plans?
Despite the chatter, Hill says Samuel is in phenomenal shape heading into camp, and the Commanders couldn’t be happier. He’s expected to be used all over the field, lining up wide, in the slot, even taking handoffs, just like in his breakout 2021 season.
Pairing his physicality with McLaurin’s sharp route-running and speed could be the spark that unlocks the Commanders’ offense under second-year head coach Dan Quinn and offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury. And with a second-year quarterback like Daniels under center, having a veteran playmaker like Samuel could be game-changing.
There’s no question that the past couple of seasons haven’t been up to Samuel’s standard. But if the work he’s put in this offseason pays off the way Hill says it has, Washington may have just added one of the league’s most slept-on weapons.
Maybe the next time a blurry beach photo surfaces, people will think twice before assuming he’s out of shape.